


He Never Knew

by OC_Femslash



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Aunt/Niece Incest, F/F, F/M, Gen, Incest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-11-27 18:49:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20953223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OC_Femslash/pseuds/OC_Femslash
Summary: In which Klaus' first born Katelyn Laskin, AKA: Avery, gives Dahlia the family she wasn't looking for.





	1. I'm Thinking of You All the While

In the **Warehouse District**, Dahlia was still connected to her magic flowers. She allowed her dahlia flower vines to fill Hope's room. She got a thorn to prick the babe's palm and reeled as it didn't contain the as much magic as her or even Freya. This wasn't Klaus' first born. She recoiled.

"Ah," she growled.

"What?" the ungrateful blonde, Freya, asked curiously.

Dahlia gazed at her. She wondered what she ought to do. She couldn't let Freya tell her _beloved siblings_ that Hope was not the Non-Viking's firstborn and risk them interfering. "I'll need Hope's presence to channel her magic. It's more powerful than yours," she pretended to gloat. She let out a sigh. "For now," she started. She turned to Freya, holding out her hand to choke the Viking daughter. "Our dealings are done." She waved her hand and let Freya go, both from their bind and from her annual slumber. 

* * *

**Fourteen hours away, twelve hours ago**, a [brunette](https://photos.laineygossip.com/lifestyle/elizabeth-olsen-pink-11jan17-02.jpg) laid on the ground, her pink dress torn from where the glass had scratched it all to hell. She slowly opened her eyes. Looking behind her, she saw Damon leaning over Elena. She sat up and saw Alaric with Jo. A very dead Jo. She saw Stefan and Caroline run over to Elena and Damon so she crawled to Alaric and Jo. She sat beside them and pulled Jo into her lap. Alaric went to stop her. "We have to get her to a hospital," she whispered. Her ears were still ringing but she didn't know if Alaric could hear her. She put her hands on his face, making him look at her. "Ric," she commanded his attention. "Do not let these babies die," she ordered. 

He nodded, but Joshua, father of the bride, grabbed her ankle. He started chanting, "_Sanguinem Filio Sanguinem Effugarex perpetuum, Phasmatos Filio Phasmatos Effugarex Perpetuum," _over and over again with the rest of his coven and they stopped eventually. 

Kai rolled his eyes. "You need Bennett blood to send me back to the Prison world," he gloated. 

Joshua nodded at the brunette. She turned to Alaric. "Now," she ordered. Alaric picked up Jo and they went to leave. 

"Hmm," Kai muttered. He held his hand out to the girl, calling, "Avery!" He started the pain induction spell. 

She held up her [hand](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1053/6110/products/il_fullxfull.687549365_jqgu_grande.jpeg?v=1446979783). His spell only lasted for a moment because soon he couldn't breathe. He was lifted into the air, choking. "It's Katelyn to you," she growled. Katelyn was her first name, but there were a lot of girls with that name in all of her classes so she started going by her middle name, Avery. She glanced back and saw Alaric was gone and gazed at where Damon was to see that he was too. She was about to let him go when he jabbed a piece of glass into his jugular. Avery gasped, stepping back. She turned and went out the door, but was soon knocked unconscious. 

* * *

Dahlia walked up the steps to the **Abattoir**, despising the pretentious name but adoring how the Viking children congregated there regularly. She entered the main courtyard and looked at everyone standing prepared to fight so valiantly to fight against her. It was adorable to Dahlia, not to mention pointless. There was Rebekah in her own body, Elijah unbuttoning his suit jacket, Klaus with his pointless fangs out, Kol resurrected and guarding his girlfriend, the young vampire Klaus had adopted, and formerly-her Freya holding what they all suspected to be what Dahlia had come for. She rolled her eyes. All this for a drop of blood.

"You're not-" Rebekah started. 

Dahlia waved her hands and Kol, Davina and Rebekah were flung back and knocked unconscious. She put a hand in her pocket, finding the zip lock of salt in there, and threw a handful of salt at the witches. She had no need to harm some of them. They could still reproduce and continue the line. Even the vampires may grow desperate enough to turn human once more. Holding her hand out to Klaus, she enjoyed watching him writhe with agony. His betrayal stung in her mind still. She would've let him be with either of his children if he'd only stuck to his word. She wondered if any of the Mikaelsons kept their word. Dahlia twisted her [hands (her hands when she's sitting)](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/vampirediaries/images/6/68/TO_2x19_Dahlia_Uses_Telekinesis_on_Hybrid.gif/revision/latest?cb=20180523011701). Klaus fell and Dahlia walked up to him. Had they gotten weaker - to be incapacitated so easily - or had she gotten even stronger without Freya? Pulling an [ athame](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zu0AAOSwnNBXYWjC/s-l300.jpg) from her inside pocket, she held up Klaus' hand. She sliced his palm, also pulling out a vial. She held the dagger over the vial and the blood pooled in the bottom of it. 

* * *

Avery came to to the **hum of a car** and the scratching of a seat belt. She let out a groan and grabbed her head. She turned to see who was in the driver's seat. 

It was Enzo. "Sorry, love," he said. But he didn't sound very sincere. "I had to get you out of there." 

"Where are we going?" Avery mumbled softly, fully aware that he could hear her. Had he hit her?

"To see Lily. Your the only person she trusts and likes at the moment, along with me." 

"Isn't Lily, like, insane now?" 

"No, she has hope and apparently that means something." 

"Elena!" Avery realized with a start. 

"Elena is in the hospital with Damon. Kai is dead and the Geminis are going down with him. And I grabbed you so we could deal with the bigger problem," Enzo listed off. 

"Lily," Avery followed along. 

"I do hope you're going to start thinking as quickly as you usually do soon."

"I, uh, should... soon," she grumbled. "Did you hit me?" she asked. 

"Yes. You were on a mission, I can tell by now, and I knew you would not be deterred. That was the quickest way I could get you out of there." 

Avery nodded as if she understood. "What makes you think Lily likes me more than, oh I don't know, her sons?" she demanded. 

"You mean the sons who vervained her and locked her in their cellar."

Avery pointed at him. "Touche," she responded. She kept rubbing her forehead. 

"I'd offer you some blood, but, as I understand it, you always deny it." 

Avery nodded. "That's correct." She frowned. "So, what's the problem with Lily?" 

"She escaped the cellar," Enzo said plainly. 

"I assumed as much. Anyway, you said she had hope?" she asked. 

Enzo nodded. He pulled up to a **warehouse district**. 

In front of them, Lily opened the door to a cargo hold and sticking her head in.

"I could just magic the door closed and all of our problems go away," Avery offered. 

Enzo gave her a deadpanned look. He, apparently, didn't approve. 

Avery groaned, unbuckling then getting out. She walked over to the woman who closed the apparently disappointing cargo. She held her hands together, grabbing at the fingertips and playing with her nails. "Lily?" she called. 

Lily walked towards her, rambling anxiously, "1702 Route 12. That's... That's where we are, right?" she stuttered out. 

Avery nodded once in sharp confirmation. "That's the address you gave Enzo and we're here too, so yeah. That's where we are."

Lily nodded jerkily. "He... He said they would be here. They're probably scared out of their minds."

"Who said who would be here?" Avery asked carefully. 

Lily went to another storage space. She opened the door. "My friends. Kai brought them back when he escaped that prison." She looked inside the next one like her life depended on it. "They're here, somewhere."

Avery nodded. She turned to face Enzo who was in the car and waved for him get out as well. He shook his head and Avery rolled her eyes. She walked to a separate cargo hold.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked. 

"Helping you look," Avery replied as if it were obvious. 

* * *

After leaving the Mikaelsons in the Abattoir, Dahlia walked down the streets of **New Orleans**, on her way out of town, gazing at the blood. It glowed and swirled, purifying itself of masculine chromosomes, leaving it gender neutral. She had to experiment with it so as not to get any of the vampires in her spell and to take Hope out of the equation. She specified that she wanted a first born and made it to the edge of town. She frowned when she saw that she needed to find out where to go and had no way to get there. She saw a large car approaching her and she held out her hand. She brakes triggered and she flicked her hand up and the door flung open. She walked over and sat in the passenger seat. Using the kenning, she made him start driving to the nearest map-acquiring-place. 

* * *

When Avery closed yet another storage unit in **the warehouse district**, she tried making conversation. "So, what did you give Kai in exchange for your friends - sorry - family?" she asked 

"...I gave him my blood," Lily admitted, hesitantly. 

Avery stepped backwards, physically repulsed. She let out a breath. "He's one of your heretics?" she asked. Kai wouldn't hurt her. He liked her too, mostly because she didn't mind him occasionally siphoning from her. But that didn't mean he liked the company she kept. In fact, she was sure he would kill Bonnie the first moment he got. 

* * *

Dahlia walked into a **convenience store**. She looked to the side and saw a stand full of maps. She ripped open the sticker keeping it closed.

"Hey," the man behind the counter yelled. 

Dahlia added him to her kenning. She'd much prefer just killing him, but she didn't need the Mikaelsons finding a trail of bodies and discovering where she was going, not that she herself knew. She opened the map and discovered that it was only of Louisiana. She poured a drop of the blood onto the map and allowed it to multiply. She said the incantation in her head, specifying that she wanted a firstborn. The blood started flowing northeast before sliding off the map and stopping. Dahlia sighed in annoyance and got a map of all of the east of the United States. She was unsure of why she couldn't sense her magic, but the specification of a firstborn worked. The child obviously wasn't cloaked but there hadn't been enough magic let off to alert her senses in her slumber or since she had awoken. 

* * *

That same night, in **the warehouse district**, Lily walked over to Avery who was still opening storage units, leaving the doors open when they were empty. "You must think me such a monster," Lily said. 

Avery paused what she was doing. "No," she responded. "I don't think you're a monster. I think you're very emotionally dependent and, when you lose hope, you lose sight and get confused."

"My life before my friends was misery, even as a mother, a-a wife," Lily tried to explain. "I never felt whole. But then, I found these people, and, uh, I felt a part of something. Can you understand that just a little?"

Avery nodded. "Kai was that for me, in a way. It was like he completed me. Which was different from love." She took a deep breath. "Alright. This is a long shot and I haven't used this much magic since my mother died, but I'll try it." 

"What?" Lily asked. 

Avery waved her hands for Lily to move. "Now, I need you to go across the lot. This is going to be dangerous if you aren't at eye of the storm."

Lily nodded before vamp-speeding to the other side of the lot. 

Avery closed her eyes, opened her arms, and muttering under her breath. The wind picked up and a twister developed, slowly lowering in front of her. It flung the other storage units to the side and Avery opened her eyes. The storm immediately faded and the thrown unit hit something invisible before flying off. "This way, Lily," she yelled, running toward the big 'ol empty space. She held out her hand and the wind picked up again, flinging leaves and dirt and stuff to the unit. Avery smiled and felt around. She grabbed the door and pulled it open. Lily walked in and Avery did too. Now, they were part of the environment and saw the inside of the unit. 

Lily gasps as she saw the shadow of an Edwardian dressed woman walk toward them. They ran to each other and hugged each other. A group of others came up behind the hugging couple and Lily cried, "Avery... It's our family!"

"You're family," Avery corrected softly. 

Kai walked up behind her. "I did everything I needed to the Scooby Gang. They're my family, now," he said, standing straighter as if with pride. "You could be part of this family too," he said, walking in. 

* * *

The car in which Dahlia sat approached a [sign](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/55/d9/85/55d985f536f3765132206cda1fbb2f4d.jpg). Yes, she had sensed an immense amount of power in this vicinity. She made her driver stop the car and She smiled and looked at the over-view of the town. She would take that which was owed to her. And she would never sleep for a century again. 


	2. Out of Control

The next morning, after a night of her and Enzo teaching the Edwardian hybrids all about their new time, [Avery](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marvelcinematicuniverse/images/1/1f/Scarletwitch_Civil_War01.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160905113724) left her house. She walked down the **driveway** to her car and pulled her now vibrating phone from her pocket. She saw the caller ID and hit answer. Holding the phone to her ear, Avery got in her [car](https://autowise.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2017-Toyota-Yaris.jpeg). "I'm on my way to the hospital, Damon," she promised. 

"No. My house." Okay, he didn't like her. Mostly because she was a witch who wasn't afraid to put him in his place. The bastard hung up on her. 

Avery rolled her eyes. She put her key in the ignition and looked out her window quickly. She felt someone watching her. She turned the key and faced forward, pulling out of the driveway. She turned left. 

* * *

Once she got to the **Salvatore Boarding House**, Avery stuffed her keys into her pocket. She pulled the rope that rung the doorbell. Stefan opened it and Avery walked in. She half expected Elena to be in the house, asleep. It wouldn't be the first time they'd taken her from a hospital so someone could actually help her. 

Bonnie walked over to her and they gave her a quick hug. "I don't know how to get around it," Bonnie told her. 

"That's okay," Avery reassured, waving her bracelet clad hand at her. "Someone show me the video." 

Jeremy, who'd arrived that morning, handed her the camera. 

Kai put his face up to the screen. _"All this time travel's has been hard on the camera, Bon. There it is."_ He backed away before he started clapping. _"Yay! You saw the post-it."_ He leaned forward and gained a monotonous voice. "This message will self-destruct in ten seconds." He laughed, obviously genuenly amused. _"Kidding. Anyhow, you're probably wondering why you're still alive, since I should have bled you out, one painful ounce at a time. I mean, that's what you deserved."_ He started walking around with the camera. _"You left me behind in 1903, which I did not appreciate, but I guess you forgot about that old Canadian rock filled with Bennett blood. Anyway, even though I got out, I kind of just want to make you suffer, in new and-- if I may say so myself-- totally inspired ways. So, Bonster, I linked Elena's life to yours. The rule is-- as long as you're alive, Elena will remain_ asleep." He sat down._ "And oh, please don't go looking for some weird witchy work-around, because as the incredibly-powerful leader of the Gemini's, I rigged this so that if you do try to outsmart it, both you and Elena will die-- instantly. I guess what I'm trying to say is your betrayal really hurt me, Bon. So, this is kind of all your fault."_

Avery shrugged. "It's obvious, isn't it? Bonnie can't be the one to undo it so find a witch who can channel enough magic to counteract the spell," she said plainly. 

"You can't do it?" Bonnie asked. She'd done a lot of magic in her day. 

"I can," Avery said. "But I won't. I can't use big magic for another ten months. Otherwise, my free will and sanity will be at risk."

The door opened and a dark haired vampire sped in, landing in front of Avery. 

"Well?" he asked. 

"You need to find a witch with more power than Bonnie or I. Or you need more than one witch to do a basic counter spell," Avery informed. 

"Why can't you do it?" he demanded. 

"I just... can't. There's a very powerful witch out there who will ruin all of you if I use more than a specific amount of magic in one go. And I already risked it earlier. I'm not putting my life in danger," she raised her voice as Damon tried to cut her off repeatedly. 

"Fix her," Damon demanded. "Fix her now," he ordered. 

"I can't!" Avery yelled, her hands flexing out in an attempt to make him understand. 

Damon watched her slave bracelet carefully.

"No!" Avery warned in a raspy voice. She saw him vanish which meant he was using his vampire speed. A smart girl who didn't want him removing her bracelet, she brought her wrist right by her stomach, guarding it with her other hand. "No!" she shrieked. She was suddenly shoved into a wall. Damon had grabbed her bracelet whilst simultaneously pushing her. She landed and stared at her bare wrist. She'd worn that piece of jewelry 24/7 since she was four years old. She'd slept with it on, showered, and - most importantly - she used magic with it on. 

After yelling at Damon for two hours about how selfish he was being (he didn't seem to care) and about how dangerous she now was (he seemed a bit concerned, but mostly indifferent), Avery felt the brunt of her power settling on her shoulders. She sighed. "Let's just... go wake Elena."

* * *

In **Elena's hospital room**, only Elena, Bonnie, and Avery resided in the room. Avery was there to remove the spell on Elena and Damon didn't trust her since he'd broken her trust so Bonnie was there to make sure she didn't try to get back at Damon through Elena.

Avery held her hands to her side, palms facing the body. She didn't want to risk a doctor or nurse walking past and seeing Avery waving her hands over a coma patient. 

"Interesting technique," Bonnie said. She looked at Avery, her eyes totally white. "Are you powerful enough to control your power?" she asked. 

Avery narrowed her eyes, glaring at the olive skinned girl. "Who are you?" she demanded, sensing another presence in the room. 

"Just someone who wishes to help," Bonnie replied, walking over to Avery's table of trinkets. 

"I don't need help controlling my power," Avery said firmly. 

"That's just what you think," Bonnie stated nonchalantly. 

"And you think I do?" Avery asked. 

"I know you do. Or that you will," Bonnie amended. 

Avery crossed her arms, scoffing. "I've never needed help in the control area of magic."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Yes, you did. Otherwise, you wouldn't have contained it within your bracelet."

Avery reflexively grabbed her bare wrist. "I did it before. I'll do so again."

"The same mechanisms won't work again. You were younger. Made happy easier and put at ease with little effort." 

"Tell that to my mother," Avery muttered, rolling her eyes. She dropped her hands to her hips. "What would you recommend?" she asked. 

"If I were in charge of your control, I'd isolate you so no one will upset you nor will they try to take advantage of you." 

Avery narrowed her eyes. "Well you aren't so... goodbye." She waved her arm and Bonnie's mind cleared. 

Bonnie shook her head. "What am I-?"

"Go wait outside," Avery ordered, nodding her head to the window, "with the others." She waited until Bonnie had left before closing her eyes and holding out her hands again. Her fingertips faced up; her palms were pointed at Elena's body. She started muttering under her breath, quicker than vampire hearing could detect and lower than humans could. After a few minutes, Elena gasps and sat up. Damon raced in, holding his girlfriend, and Bonnie stood beside Avery. "I won't fall," she reassured. She wasn't trembling. She wondered why until she heard the lightning. In an effort not to be suppressed, her magic acted out and made the storm so she wouldn't have too much energy. That would give her a nose bleed, just as much as not having enough. 

* * *

Back at the **Salvatore Boarding House**, Avery paced. She couldn't lose control like the last time. She'd caused one of the worst natural disasters in history when she was in her pre-early teens. Elena walked over to hug her in thanks, but Avery jumped back. The house shook in response. 

"Avery," Bonnie called, walking toward her. 

"Don't-" Avery insisted, her hand out toward Bonnie. She was instantly choked and lifted into the air. Avery backed further away, not wanting to close her hand lest she snap Bonnie's neck. _"Phasmatos fin!"_ she cast. 

Bonnie fell to the ground, coughing. 

Avery took a step back toward her, wanting to make sure she was alright, but Alaric turned to face her.

"Maybe you shouldn't," he warned. 

Avery nodded, stepping back, but his neck was snapped. She flinched. She hadn't done that, had she? 

"Avery!" Stefan yelled in reproach.

He no longer had his ring and he was mortal. He was dead-dead, now. 

"I didn't do that!" she responded, pointing toward his body. 

His body rolled to the side, closer to the fire. 

"Okay, _that_ was me," she added, "but I didn't mean to." She stepped back another step. 

Damon rushed at her, ready to kill her for killing his drinking buddy. 

The brunette instinctively shoved him back. "Ah!" she yelled in rage. Avery couldn't believe how selfish he had been. All she could think was about how she'd now be unable to control her magic. She slightest hand movement and all hell would break loose. Jeremy had his crossbow trained on her and Matt, his gun. She couldn't believe that she was now the bad guy. She wanted to die, now. She had given up everything for this gang. She'd killed Elijah (no matter how temporary it had been) when Elena had been abducted, she'd faked dead to trick Klaus, she'd temporarily made Abby powerless to stop her from being turned into a vampire to stop Esther, she'd lent Kai her magic to get Lily out of that Prison World. All of it had been for them. She would have always been able to handle herself if anyone tried to hurt her. But she'd gotten involved for the very people who now turned on her. She flashed for a second and disappeared, reappearing deep in **the forest**. 

She turned, squeezing her hands in an attempt to regain control, but the tree before her immediately rotted, collapsing in on itself much like how her fingers collapsed in toward her palm. She stared at her hand, walking backwards. She bumped into another tree and held her hand in her hair. She balled her fist - which pulled at her hair - to ground herself. She slid down the tree, desperate not to cry. She couldn't tell if crying would help, so she wasn't so tense to cause a bigger explosion later or if the area around her could take the brunt of her current emotional status. She let out another scream, barely paying any mind to the lightning that struck in the distance. 

A storm rained down on her. The rain drenched her instantly 

Forcing herself to stand, Avery thought it best to exhaust herself now. She yelled again, holding out her hands. Multiple bolts of lightning struck before her very eyes. She let the rage fill her up and spun, flinging her arms aside and telekinetically ripping up trees and throwing them aside. Her attempts to keep her magic coiled in her belly caused her nose to bleed, but ignored it. She screamed as loud as she could, holding out her arms to her side. Everything within ten feet of her was decimated. It either turned to ash or flopped over, dead. 

The storm slowed as Avery felt better. She took several quick, deep breaths. She heard clapping and whirled around. 

It was a [woman](https://66.media.tumblr.com/fb9e073d3c14a19e11cf7c429c41581d/tumblr_pdwahpRKtI1u9i9uf_540.gif). She had brown hair and brown eyes. She was completely dry , umbrella-less, and wearing all black. "Darling," the woman said, "that... was quite impressive." 

Instinctively, Avery wiped under her nose. "I'm not going anywhere," she said, defiance clear in her voice. 

The woman vanished for a second and Avery whirled around, looking for her. She apparently hadn't gone anywhere because she wrapped her arms around Avery from behind. One around her waist and one under her arms and around her chest. She pulled the red leather clad witch closer to her. "I could take you," she whispered, magic spilling over her fingertips, drawing Avery into her spell. "I could pull you into the dark and keep you with me forever and no one would notice. No one would fight me, and - if they did - they'd lose." She started walking backwards and, despite Avery's best intentions, the brunette was pulled with her. "I could pour sleep into your brain like fog and you'd be powerless." 

What was she doing? Avery's head felt like it _was_ filled with fog now. And it was thickening into cotton. She couldn't do anything. Her head fell back and her back and legs went limp. 


	3. Forever Fight

Avery came to in a [strange room](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/aa/c3/25/aac32584298b96e0a6b5c920b791d421.jpg). She jolted up and pulled back her covers. She was still in her previous clothes, thank God. She held out her hand and light filled the room. A fireplace was lit. She hadn't meant to do that, but her magic was all over the place now. After thoroughly examining the room, she walked to the only non-restroom-leading door, opening it. She stepped into the next room. It seemed to take appearance of a living room. Finding the only door exiting this room, she entered the hallway. She looked back and forth, trying to decide which way to go. She decided on left, placing her hand on the door. The outline of her hand glowed orange. She went down the hall and found herself looking down some spiral stairs. Which was weird. Avery got the sense that this building was old. Really old. She slid her hand down the railing as she walked, her hand leaving a trail of a bright red aura. She examined the hallway across from the stairs and around a wall which seemed to just start the hallway. She went left again, her hand leaving another orange hand print. She found some straight down stairs and again touched the railing so as to leave a trail of bright red. Across from the bottom of the stairs were some windows. They were huge and Avery looked around for the handle or any way to open them. She was starting to feel like a trapped animal when she didn't find one. Her temper flared and she tried to psychically break the windows. Pushing with all her might, she couldn't even crack the surface. She took a deep breath to keep her magic from destroying the whole damned place - she didn't know if anyone else was there - and looked out the window. There was snow everywhere. There seemed to be a pathway leading away from the building. Was it a mansion? A [castle](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/onceuponatime8042/images/5/5a/315DefeatThatWitch.png/revision/latest?cb=20141028163128)? Based on the setup of the bedroom, she guessed it was the latter. Looking at her options to go left, right, or behind the stairs, Avery decided to go right this time, leaving an orange hand print where the hall began. The brunette was about to reach the end of the hallway when the woman from before stepped in front of her. 

"I wondered where you'd gone," she said, [tilting her head](http://pa1.narvii.com/7148/4386177d686904e57b8c0a75d1437f2e9333da3ar1-245-135_00.gif) as if she were curious. 

Fed up with the woman's games, Avery flung out her arms. 

The brunette was flung across the room, sticking to a wall. 

Keeping her hand up, Avery walked to the end of the hallway, having eyes only for the witch who'd abducted her. "Who are you?" she demanded. However, she kept in mind that she was on the top step of a set of stairs. 

The woman laughed. "Dear child," she started, vanishing in an instant. She reappeared behind Avery not a second after her disappearance. She put her hand on the back of Avery's head, the hand following when she whirled around. "I'm Dahlia."

Avery felt her strength leaving her, and her knees buckle. She barely noticed that Dahlia had pulled her against herself before the world went black once more. 

* * *

When she next came to, Avery frowned. She pulled the covers back, seeing that she hadn't been out long, less than an hour, she suspected. She opened the door to find the woman in the ['living room'](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0b/46/a3/0b46a3a2ccc087ca1c70352cb71a9b63.jpg). Astrid held up her hand. 

The woman rolled her eyes. She had a cup of tea in her hand, about to sip. "Please don't try that again." Avery was quite sure that wasn't a request. The woman took her drink and put the cup in a saucer on the table beside her couch. "I was hoping to have a civilized conversation," she stated. 

"With the woman who kidnapped me?" Avery snapped, her voice incredulous. "No way in Hell." She marched toward the door, but was forced unconscious before she could even open it. 

* * *

Avery forced her eyes open. It dark, she could tell. She went back toward the door, slowly opening it. She held her hand out behind her and the fire within the fireplace died down. This time, when she was in the hallway, she turned right. She walked straight for a few minutes before the hallway split. It forked off in two different directions. Putting her hand on the wall beside the right hallway, she let her magic leave an orange hand print behind. She found a set of stairs that led to behind her, below her. She walked down, letting the rail glow red. She found some large wooden doors. They reminded Avery of the doors that led to the Grand Hall in Harry Potter. Pushing them as hard as she could, she entered a [dining room](http://hearstcastle.org/wp-content/uploads/tour-highlight-gothic-study.jpg)-slash-living room-slash-library. 

The woman - Dahlia, was it? - sat at the head. She had a plate in front of her and another one perpendicular to her. Dahlia leaned over, patting the seat beside her. 

Avery frowned, turning back to the door. 

Dahlia clenched her jaw, closing her hand to make a fist.

Avery was seized and lifted from the ground. Though, she wasn't in pain. 

"Eat," she ordered. "You can return to failing to leave after."

Avery was lowered to the ground and she considered sitting and just listening for once. She held her hands to her side, forcing her hands open. She twitched her fingers and the table was shoved toward the brunette, trapping her in her chair. Avery bolted. She mentally forced the door to open once more and it did. She made it just outside before making it shut and lock. She raced forward, barely paying any mind to the directions she was going. She ran down more stairs, not leaving the trace she did before. Though it would help her backtrack, it would also tell Dahlia which way she'd gone. She barely registered sending random colors all over the place, on random walls. She found a [large set of doors](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/onceuponatime8042/images/6/61/319EnterCastle.png/revision/latest?cb=20160312021849) and rushed toward them. She grabbed the handles and pulled. She met resistance and just kept pushing and pulling. "No, no, no, no!" she cried, pulling as hard as she could. 

"That wasn't very nice," Dahlia said, appearing beside her. 

Avery whirled on her, flinging her hands out to shove the witch... who didn't move. "Where am I?" she demanded. Tears started running down her face. 

Dahlia looked sympathetic. "Oh," she cooed, reaching her hand out to touch her face. 

Avery stepped away. "Where am I?" she yelled more firmly. 

"Your new home," Dahlia responded. "You won't be leaving for a long time." She held up her hands to help make her more complaisant. "We will eventually, but we need you in control of your powers beforehand."

"I am in control," Avery said firmly. Her face crumpled. "I am in... control," she whispered, trying not to cry anymore. 

Dahlia stepped closer to her, her fingertips grazing her cheeks before Avery jerked away. "You're not," she whispered back. She looked behind the brunette who turned to see the mess she had made in her wake. 

Avery stepped away from the destroyed halls. There were chairs thrown about, broken. Papers stuck everywhere. The wallpaper had even peeled off, looking like someone had taken a claw to it then sliced all over. The chandelier had busted and all the light bulbs had shattered. She suddenly felt the back of Dahlia's fingers caressing her cheekbone to her jaw. "I didn't hear anything," she muttered. 

"This disaster can be repaired. If you go out in the world and someone provokes you, you may never recover from what you will do," Dahlia explained. She waved her hand and it was like the disaster went backwards in slow motion. The wallpaper went back up, sticking together once more. The glass littering the floor reattached to around the wires inside. Chairs resumed their rightful positions, repaired. The papers slid inside books then onto shelves. Dahlia put her hands on Avery's shoulders. "Go back upstairs. We'll start training tomorrow," Dahlia said gently. 

Avery shook her head. "No, no." She stepped away from the brunette then faced her. "That mess was because I don't trust you. And I don't want to be trapped." She held out her arms. "I won't be trapped," she stated firmly. 

The gentleness slid from Dahlia's face, leaving only hard resolve and firm disappointment. Still, she reached out to drag her knuckles over her temple. "So, we'll keep fighting until you are willing to work with me," she said understandingly. 

Avery took inventory of her body and gave Dahlia an exasperated look. "You've gotta be kidding me," she exclaimed, feeling her body shutting down. She fell forward, staying awake long enough to feel Dahlia catch her. 

* * *

It was daylight when she woke next. She sat up, not even bothering to change. She would get out of there soon. She was determined. She walked over to the window. Just as she suspected, they were too high for her to even risk getting out that way. They had to be at least three floors up. Not that she she could get the damn window open. She left the room once more and examined the 'living room'. She deduced that no one was there before leaving it. She entered the hallway and went left. She went down the spiral stairs. This time, when she reached the hallway, she went right. Walking quickly, she found seven doors along this hall before discovering the dead end. She turned back and basically ran through the halls, checking the rooms on her way. They were all spare rooms. Once she reached the stairs again, she raced down them, going right behind them. She found a strange [room](http://www.rainbeau.net/DMC/ONCE_19_files/ONCE-HD-32.jpg), running across the tiled floor. She pulled at the [cell door](http://www.rainbeau.net/DMC/ONCE_19_files/ONCE-HD-78.jpg). It didn't budge. Avery smacked the gold colored metal. "Damn it!" she yelled. She bent slightly, backing away from it to hold open her hands. Wind blew furiously, but the bars didn't melt like she'd wanted. She let out a yell, kicking the bars. She left via a different door that she opened and went up a flight of stairs, taking inventory of everything as she passed. She found her way back to the dining room-slash-study. She found, once again, Dahlia sitting at the head. 

"You must be starving," Dahlia said, her voice neutral. 

Avery's stomach _did_ ache. It didn't growl, though. She stepped a step closer. "This won't deter me from leaving," she warned. 

Dahlia nodded, picking up her teacup. "I'm sure," she admitted. 

Avery crooked two fingers at the plate. It slid over to her. She grabbed the fork from where it was tucked under the eggs. She stabbed one of the sausage rolls. Crossing her arms, she propped her right elbow on her left forearm. She took a bite, watching Dahlia carefully. 

Dahlia smiled, watching her as well. She examined the brunette's clothes. "The clothes won't hurt you," Dahlia promised. 

Avery's face slid into it's resting bitch one. She put the fork down, leaving again. She ran down a hall, finding the front door once more. Swinging her hand out, Avery willed the door to shatter. 

They continued this cat and mouse routine for another three days before Avery decided to look at the situation another way. 


End file.
